Nation.Cymru staff
Deputy First Minister Sioned Williams has called for the Wales Office to be scrapped, saying it often does “more harm than good” and reinforces Westminster’s position rather than challenging it.
Speaking to The National Podcast at the SNP conference in Aberdeen, Ms Williams said devolution had removed the need for the role.
“Over 27 years of devolution we have come to a maturity, I would say obviously in Scotland but equally in Wales, where we don’t need that position anymore,” she said.
“What we get is resistance, and that has been true of Welsh Secretaries of both persuasions that we’ve had so far, Tories and Labour, so we don’t really see the advantage of it and what it does for us is bolster that Westminster perspective rather than challenge it.”
She added: “It really doesn’t make any sense to me that we need that position currently – and actually from our own experience it often does more harm than good, provides that Westminster voice, that Westminster perspective, which isn’t actually aligned to the will of the Senedd or the Welsh government over successive years and different parties.
“The former first minister of Wales Mark Drakeford has echoed that call as well, so this isn’t a specifically party political point.”
Her comments came after SNP members backed a motion on Thursday calling for the abolition of the Scotland Office and the post of Scottish Secretary.
Ms Williams also said Welsh Labour had a “strong tradition” of “standing up for devolution” which had not been “as prevalent in Scottish Labour”.
“What’s unfortunate is that currently we don’t see that aspect of coming forward in the same way as it used to be as regards the position of the Unionist parties on devolution,” she said.
Devolving policing
Earlier this week, former Lord Chief Justice Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd rejected Welsh Secretary Stephen Kinnock’s concerns that devolving policing could undermine cooperation on serious crime, including county lines drug dealing.
Speaking to S4C’s Y Byd yn ei Le, produced by ITV Cymru Wales, Lord Thomas, who chaired the Commission on Justice in Wales, said: “It seems to me that the only rationale can be that there is extreme reluctance to see the role of the MPs in London diminished in some respect.”
Responding to Lord Thomas’s comments, a Wales Office spokesperson said: “When it comes to further devolution, if there’s a strong case where new powers can help deliver opportunities for the people of Wales they will always be considered with interest.
“What matters is what works – and our focus is on working with the Welsh Government to empower local leaders and communities to deliver good growth and jobs in every Welsh postcode.”
‘New deal for Wales’
In her conference address, Ms Williams called on Prime Minister Andy Burnham to deliver a “new deal for Wales”, with powers closer to those held by Scotland.
She said Wales must be treated “not as a region of England but as a nation in its own right”, including receiving additional powers over policing, rail infrastructure and welfare.
First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth has also sought further powers in a letter to Mr Burnham, who has said he is open to devolving policing. The two are expected to meet alongside the first ministers of Scotland and Northern Ireland at the end of October.
Scottish First Minister John Swinney is expected to highlight Plaid Cymru’s election victory in his conference speech later today.
He will say that “in Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast, every First Minister now supports our nations’ right to self-determination”.
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